Barbara Lee Calls on Bush to Turn Over Info on NSA Spying
(Washington, DC) – In response to news that President Bush had authorized warrantless NSA spying on Americans, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) introduced a privileged resolution, calling on the administration to provide to Congress all information related to such surveillance, including the names of those targeted (text of the resolution follows the release).
Lee also responded to Bush administration claims that the warrantless NSA eavesdropping authorized by the President is permitted by the September 14, 2001 vote to authorize the use of force in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the resolution. The following is her statement:
“On September 14th, 2001, in the wake of the terrible terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, DC, Congress was asked to approve a resolution that gave the President a virtually unlimited authority to make war.
“Specifically, the resolution gave the President the authority to "use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons." In other words, he could wage war when and where he wanted, we just needed to trust him.
“I voted against that resolution because I was convinced then, as I am today, that Congress had no business authorizing an unspecified war against an unspecified enemy for an unspecified period of time.
“I also voted against that resolution because I was concerned the President and his administration would abuse the broad authority it granted, which is effectively what they have done.
“The administration is now using this resolution to justify willfully dismissing the law and spying on Americans.
“This case of this spying raises the grave question of what other laws the President may have broken invoking this imagined authority.
“The disdain the President has shown for the Constitution, for the document that enshrines our fundamental liberties and freedoms, is breathtaking. He must be held accountable for this gross abuse of power.
“America has historically stood against this kind of lawlessness and authoritarianism in the world, and I fear that the President’s actions have undermined our nation’s credibility and standing in the world.”
Text of H.Res.641:
Requesting the President to provide to the House of Representatives certain documents in his possession relating to electronic surveillance without search warrants on individuals in the United States.
Resolved, That the President is requested to provide to the House of Representatives, not later than 14 days after the date of the adoption of this resolution, all documents in the possession of the President, including telephone and electronic mail records, logs, calendars, minutes, memoranda, and advisory legal opinions on, and identities of all individuals subject to, electronic surveillance without search warrants by the National Security Agency within the United States since September 11, 2001.